Umberg/Zipser LLP (U/Z) co-founding partner, and California State Senator Thomas J. Umberg authored an article for the Daily Journal titled, “Document Production Games Run Amok” which was published on September 30, 2019.
In the article, Tom explains that he authored California Senate Bill 17 in reaction to the firm’s recent experience of gamesmanship after a relatively routine request for production of documents in a business litigation matter. Discovery gamesmanship delays litigation, ties up the courts, and strains the ability of parties to access justice in civil disputes.
Senate Bill 17 was approved by the Governor on October 12. In the article Tom writes, “The measure encourages that initial disclosure of information and discovery materials, further discourages gamesmanship by imposing a $250 sanction on a party, person, or attorney who fails to act in good faith in response to a request for documents, and authorizes the court to require the offending attorney to report the sanction to the State Bar.”
If you have a Daily Journal subscription, you can click here to log-in and read the article: www.dailyjournal.com/articles/354509